New Ground
by x-Wabisuke-x
Summary: Usopp has a secret, and Sanji wants to find out what's up with that. Through brain-wracking discovery and confusion, he might get a little more than he bargained for. Sanji x Usopp. M For later parts.


A/N- Alll rrriiiggght. So, here's the story of me. I've been writing a bunch of useless shit. Yup, that's right. I mean, I guess I'm always writing useless shit but usually I'm writing some non-useless shit simultaneously, you know? But not over the past few months.

**So… here we have, more SanUso before I've finished my currently SanUso. Isn't that great? I'm thinking this'll be about two more parts of about this length. I really, really hope to finish it but to be honest I started writing it on a whim and am not even sure where I'm going.**

**I /am/ planning on updating Bottle It, and finishing it obviously as there are only a few parts to go. But I guess I just got absorbed in the One Piece universe, and have been focusing on writing things that weren't AU. Plus I think Pentagon is terrible and I'd like at least one decent SanUso story that isn't AU sitting here on my account.**

**As for ZoSan… In a Look is sort of in the back of my mind but not discontinued. I feel detached from it though, like there are things I don't like, things that are wrong and the whole thing feels a little 'meh' but I sort of have plans to finish it for now and then re-write the first few chapters. I don't know, feels like a lot of work 8D.**

**As for other ZoSan… I probably have more unfinished ZoSan fics rotting on my hard drive than I do articles of clothing in my possession. Grah. ZoSan is just feeling very difficult for me right now because I feel _so _particular about it and like it requires so much development and explanation because both those motherfuckers are so stubborn. Usopp is less prone to denial, I guess, so he makes SanUso my escape from such difficulties. Someday there will be more ZoSan. Promise.**

**Also been contemplating a ZoKuina snippet… or maybe more of a one shot. Sort of a story of what direction Zoro's life may have taken if she hadn't died because ZoKuina is seriously like my OTP right now like kjsdgkajsdh.**

**Okay no that's ZoSan forever but you know what I mean.**

**Anyway, here's a SanUso story… or, part of one…**

He stuck his hand up the back of his shirt to pull out a piece of straw. Aside from this having been the third or fourth time he'd gotten molested by horse food after helping the old man throw the hay, he liked this place. Naturally, he was a pirate, a man of the sea, so it wasn't like he wanted to stay for good. But maybe just a while longer… then again, the log pose would be the one to make that decision.

"Big nose guy!" A familiar high voice rang out behind him and Usopp rolled his eyes.

"I told you, call me Captain Usopp." He called back, half-heartedly because he knew she wouldn't listen.

"Eeeh, why do I have to call you a captain?" The little dirty-blond haired girl plopped down beside him and swung her legs off the edge of the wall that overlooked the town below. Her eyes darted around as if looking for whatever Usopp had been sitting here staring at for so long.

He couldn't give her an answer to that if she'd asked. At some point he might've been trying to spot his nakama from way up here, because they were likely down there somewhere. But that intention had drifted into absent thought after not long.

"How's your dad doing?" He asked.

"He keeps saying "Work on the farm is never over." She imitated her father's deep voice and strained-face expression. "But he said he'd do the rest himself for tonight so I came to find you." She inconspicuously moved closer to him. "So, you have any stories for me?"

Usopp laughed under his breath, resting his chin in his palm. "A courageous pirate never runs out of stories, don't you know?" He grinned down at her. "The tale of The Great Me has only barely begun for you, little girl." He wagged his finger at her nose.

"I'm not little!" She barked, and he pulled it back just in time to dodge her attempt to bite it.

"Right, of course…" Usopp stroked his chin. "Well, I guess next is the story of how I rescued the famous swordsman Roronoa Zoro from the deadly clutches of Fishman pirate Arlong…"

The smile that stretched across the girl's face as he began rivaled one of Luffy's.

_I believe my daughter has a crush on you…_ Two days in, the old farmer had told him this, and Usopp laughed because he was sure it was a joke. _I'm sure she'll be just devastated when you leave._

Looking at her now, he was probably right. She was only nine or ten, probably didn't even know what she was getting herself into by becoming attached to a man of the sea. But, she'd be all right, and for now, Usopp enjoyed spending time with her. She reminded him of Kaya, younger, and probably naïve enough to actually believe his lies, but it was the eyes that matched. The at-full-attention orbs that sparkled at him as he spoke.

He paused when her small hand curled itself in his pantleg near his knee, scooting herself closer to the storyteller, face full of wonder. Yeah, a crush seemed about right, but Usopp wasn't complaining. She was just a little girl, those feelings were fleeting as he was, and after all, he _did_ like blonds.

At that thought, he snickered painfully, and went on with his story. After all, he was just getting to the exciting part where he out-swam a fishman to rescue Sanji who'd been dragged to the bottom of the sea…

o-o-o-o

"Ah! Look!" Nami lifted her wrist for the others to see. "It's set itself, we can leave tonight."

"Finally. This place has gotten so boring." Chopper was laying on his stomach in the grass, arms sprawled out around him.

"So boring." Luffy lazily flailed his arms and legs to agree, and was lying next to Chopper in a similar fashion.

"I think it's been peaceful." Robin said, and smiled out at the horizon as Sunny bobbed against it. "I'm sure swordsman-san agrees with me."

Zoro's next extra-loud snore seemed to almost come as confirmation.

"Hey Franky, Usopp's still up at that farmhouse on the hill, could you go and get him?" Nami asked.

"Huuuh? Why do I have to go? I'm the best person when it comes to the ship's preparation." Plus, climbing that damn hill was rather a pain in the ass. Usopp seemed to like it up there, but another reason he hadn't come back down was likely that he didn't want to make the climb over and over again.

Nami saw his point. "Fine, Sanji-kun, would you go and get Usopp before we leave?" Nami called to Sanji, who was seated cross-legged near the edge of an over-hang, looking out to sea.

"Of course, if it's for you, Nami-swan!" His determined fists shot up into the air and suddenly he was on his feet.

"Thanks. We should have the ship ready by the time you get back." Nami started to get up, as did the others, though Luffy and Chopper very lazily, and that's excluding Zoro all together.

"Okay, meet you there." Sanji waved her off, and started toward the farmhouse where that long-nose had been spending all his time.

o-o-o

"Do you know when you're leaving?" Mr. Canton asked at he set the plate of food in front of Usopp.

Usopp snickered. "What's that? Eager to get rid of me?" He laughed as he picked up his fork, and the scooped it full of peas.

"I'm just dreading how heartbroken Steph's going to be. I might never hear the end of it." He snorted. Usopp took a bite, and chewed. It wasn't exactly good food, nothing- in fact, probably like sawdust- compared to what he ate regularly back on the ship. But it did food's duty at least and kept him filled, and he wasn't about to complain about free meals.

It was late, and Steph, old farmer Samuels's daughter, was probably fast asleep in her bed by now. Usopp had stayed out a while longer and had forgotten to eat, but was grateful to accept when he was offered a late dinner.

"It might be easier for all of us if someone like you would stick around for a while."

Usopp chuckled. "I told you, old man, I can't stay here. Not while the great, vast ocean is calling my name!" He shoved an over-sized slice of well-done steak into his mouth and chewed noisily.

"I understand. You have friends you need to get back to."

Usopp didn't bother swallowing before he spoke around his mouthful. "Well, that too." He shrugged, and kept eating.

"So what are they like, these important friends of yours?"

"Hmmm?" Usopp mused for a moment. "Well they're all pretty awesome people, I don't know if you've seen the wanted posters… of course they all kind of follow my lead." He laughed modestly and tapped his chin. "The coolest thing ever is this reindeer guy who ate a devil fruit named Chopper, except a lot of the time he looks like a raccoon with antlers. He's like a really awesome doctor though." Usopp had his fingers curled like horns behind his head to mimic some failed version of antlers. Samuels smiled softly as he went on.

"You won't believe it but there is a skeleton that _moves_ on his own! I know, it was so scary at first, but his name is Brook and he's our musician. Zoro is our swordsman but he mostly just sleeps, trains and gets into fights with Sanji, the ship's cook. Luffy's the captain and he's insanely strong but you'd never want to offer him food or you'll end up with nothing left." Usopp laughed. "I actually don't know how Sanji manages to not get fed up with having to feed him every day."

Farmer Samuels's eyes narrowed, like he'd caught something, but Usopp didn't notice.

"Let's see, Nami and Robin… Nami's the navigator, like a _really_ good one and Robin is an archeologist… I guess she studies old stuff." Usopp scratched his head. "They're great but it's annoying because they're always getting special treatment because Sanji's a pervert." He scoffed. "And let's see… Franky is part machine, and he built the ship and it does all these amazing things."

"Hm, sounds like an interesting bunch. And this Sanji you vaguely mentioned he was the chef…? Or a pervert?"

"No, both." Usopp nodded with dead seriousness in regards to the pervert part. "But he's also really strong, like almost on par with Zoro. They fight a lot and it actually gets kind of scary sometimes- for Chopper, I mean. He's a really great cook too though, I wouldn't be surprised if he was the best in the world by now."

By the time Usopp finished, Mr. Samuels was smiling across the table. Minutes passed as Usopp went back to eating, until Samuels spoke up again. "Did I tell you what happened to Steph's mother?" He asked

"Hm? No, I don't think so…" Usopp tried to be delicate. Was this really something the old man wanted to talk about?

"I didn't know her well, actually. Hardly at all, was never even properly introduced." Samuels began. "I'm sure you've noticed that I'm more suited to be her grand father at my age." Usopp had noticed that, but Steph was always calling him "Dad" and "Daddy" so he'd assumed his wife had simply given birth at an old age.

"The two of them came to this island on a small boat when Steph was only four years old. That was back when my old friend and I ran this farm, and we were the ones that found her."

Usopp watched, and listened, already surprised. He'd been sure by the way they got along and interacted that these two were related by blood- they even seemed to look a little alike. There was the same sort of sparkle in their matching blue eyes.

"She was sick, and unconscious when they arrived. We took both of them in and called in a doctor from the village, but they couldn't make the climb up because it was practically a hurricane outside.. By morning it was already too late." Usopp found some kind of guilt in the man's eyes as he spoke. "She died sometime during the night, before she even woke up. Steph told us that her name had been Eva."

"That's terrible… did they ever find out what happened to her?"

"The medicine here isn't that advanced. Marty, my partner in running the farm, always insisted that it was some kind of poisoning, but all little Steph knew was that she fell sick at sea after they fled their home island during a civil war."

"That must have been hard for her." The little girl was turning out to be a bit more like Kaya than he'd thought having lost her parents. No wonder she reminded him of her. "What happened to that friend of yours? He's not here anymore."

Samuels snorted. "We raised Steph together on this farm for four years, he and I. But he was always trying to find ways to make extra money, dangerous ways like gambling and sometimes pulling cons on the pirates and other sailors that visited the village." His eyes narrowed. "I told him a million times to stop before he got himself killed, and then one night he was shot to death. Never did find out how, or why, or by who… they just found him half-alive with a bullet in his gut a few hours after he'd left."

"When I got to him, he had only seconds left. The idiot said he was waiting for me to show up before he kicked the bucket because he had something to ask."

"What did he ask?" Usopp leaned over the table, having become absorbed.

"He smiled at me… and I'll never forget how warm it was, and he asked me why, after all these decades, I'd never told him."

Usopp didn't move, because he didn't want to give away his confused position. Had he missed something? What had the old man not told his friend? Usopp felt like he was supposed to know… he couldn't ask.

"You've spent the last two nights on my couch." Samuels went on. "Did you know that you talk in your sleep?"

Usopp's face faltered, and he started to turn red. Yes, he'd been told he talked in his sleep, but worse, he also knew that the night before last he'd dreamed about something rather inappropriate. Who knows what the old man might've noticed or heard?

"I was in love with that friend of mine." Okay… enough with the jumping around already. "I never told him, but I found out the day he died that he knew all along. Maybe even just waiting for me to say something, I never found out for sure."

Suddenly, a whole mess of possible understanding toward what the old guy was getting at hit Usopp, and formed together as a lump in his throat.

"I heard a lot last night. You're lucky Steph rarely needs bathroom breaks during the night or I would have made you sleep in the barn." The old man's voice became gruff and critical as he wagged his finger across the table. Usopp hunched his shoulders and sank into them.

"To be honest I loved him all my life." The man started to get up. "Up to the day he died. But after my youth was long gone I got over wanting to kiss, and hold… and do those sorts of things with him… that's probably why I never said it, even after so many years, just having him around was enough." He walked over to the far wall and stood on his toes to lift a picture off its nail and pull it down to look at it. Usopp had seen it earlier, it was of an unfamiliar looking man. A little too attractive to be anywhere near Samuels's age, it must've been taken a while ago.

"But since he died I've regretted all those years before, the nights I spent alone when it could have been different. My life would have been so much more meaningful if I'd said-"

"Mr. Samuels." Usopp interrupted, and stood up. "I get where you're coming from, but it's not like that for me."

"Hmm?" Samuels watched him carefully.

"I… already know, for a fact, how things would turn out if I ever told Sanji what I've been feeling all this time. We're pretty close… I think…" He scratched his temple quizzically, then went on. "At least, sometimes, and if he knew that the whole time I was…" He trailed off. "…But we're not so close that he relies my company or anything, either, so…"

"He loves women more than anything, maybe even more than cooking, and he hates guys. I'm probably lucky just being able to be his friend." Usopp swallowed, and felt his chest grow tight. He curled his fingers against the wood of the table boards, because he'd never quite been able to stomach the reality of his own words on the subject. "So I can never tell."

The old man sighed, and turned to hang the picture back on its nail. "I suppose you know better than I do." He walked to the table, and sat back down to his meal. He looked like he was about to say something else, before a very faint knock sounded at the door.

"Hm?" Usopp looked over his shoulder at it. "You expecting someone?"

Samuels shook his head, bewildered.

Usopp got a chill, but reasoned with himself as he started to get up. Someone knocking at the door just after dark wasn't too abnormal, but just in case, he should be the one to answer rather than the old man.

Usopp hesitated to turn the handle, swallowing as he reached for it.

He opened it very, very slowly, keeping his head down in case of werewolf or vampire attack. Once he caught a glimpse at the edge of something familiarly yellow lit by the torch mounted outside the door, he swung it open completely and looked up.

"S-Sanji?" What the hell was he doing here so late?

"The log pose is set." Sanji was just in the process of lighting a cigarette. "Nami and the others want to leave tonight. I came to get you."

o-o-o-o

Samuels invited Sanji inside, because Usopp had insisted he tell Steph he was leaving and say good-bye. Sanji walked casually over to the table and looked down at the food Usopp had been eating. He could tell just looking that no great culinary genius had gone into the meal, but he wasn't going to judge a lone old man running a farm. It simply would have been impressive if the dish looked like something with merit.

Deciding not to comment, Sanji turned to the old man. "So what's he been doing up here all this time, old man?" He asked. "Hopefully not just eating all your food."

"No, he's been very helpful. When he wasn't being a clumsy idiot, that is. My daughter and I have appreciated him a lot."

"D-daughter?" Sanji gaped, then realized. "Oh you mean the kid." For a moment Sanji thought that Usopp might've been spending his time with some gorgeous farm girl this whole time. That would be one decent explanation for staying here after all, though of course he could never land her.

"Is something bothering you?" Samuels asked. It wasn't like he knew Sanji, so he didn't know how he'd normally act. But in between the small talk his expression appeared very thoughtful.

"No, not really." Sanji lied.

"All right." Usopp was chuckling as he came down the stairs. "I hope it ends up being okay… she was half asleep so she just kind of stared at me and then nodded." He laughed as he hit the ground floor.

"Yeah, you should see how hard it is to get her out of bed in the morning for work." Samuels snorted. "Well, even if it was just a few days, it was nice having a change of pace around here."

"Haha, no problem. I'm sure the other guys in my crew just laid around bored the whole time on such a small quiet island like this. Thanks for giving me something to do!" Usopp stood in the doorway with his hand on the knob. Sanji had already stepped out onto the porch. He took a drag, and let it out slowly as he waited, patience fueled by deep thought.

Just as Usopp was about to shut the door, the sound of tiny footsteps against wood made him pause, and then he pushed it open again. "Big nose!" Steph came flying out of the door that lead to the staircase, crossed the dining and living room in a split second and stuck herself to Usopp.

"You can't be leaving!" She shook her head, hugging his legs tightly at the knees. "You only just got here! I don't have any other friends you know, you have to stay!"

"Hey, hey." Usopp nudged her back a step so he could get down on one knee in front of her. "Don't forget about your old man here, isn't he your friend?"

"Yeah, but-," Water had built up in Steph's eyes and it was only a matter of time before it streamed down her face.

"Come on, don't cry, I told you I would have to leave soon." Usopp cranked his head around to give Sanji an apologetic and awkward smile. Sanji was already grinning though, and rolled his eyes.

"I don't want you to! Don't go!" She shot forward and clung to him around the neck. "Don't go Captain Usopp!"

Usopp was lost. It was surprisingly hard not to give into the wishes of a crying nine-year-old girl, especially when they were as simple as wanting him to stay. But that was something he couldn't do, he knew it, and Sanji knew it, and the others were waiting on him. Still, he wished there was some way he could reassure her…

"Listen." He said, taking her by the shoulders to hold her in front of him. "There's a guy I know that always says this: even if we're far apart, we're still friends. And we will be forever."

Her bottom lip still quivered, but she seemed a little calmer. "Is he a smart guy?" She asked.

"Well… sort of…"Usopp scratched his head. "Well, not really… but that's not the point. He's right." Usopp stood up with his hand on her blond head. "And that goes for you and I too."

"You mean it?" She asked, eyes twinkling.

"Of course I mean it! The great Captain Usopp never tells a lie…"

"That's a lie." Sanji interrupted.

"Shut up you're not helping!" Usopp whipped around, barked, and shoved Sanji off the porch before turning back to the girl.

"Someday, after we've gone all the way around the Grand Line, I'll be back and I'll let you meet the rest of my crew." Usopp said proudly. "Until then, work hard and help your dad, okay?" He crossed his arms.

Steph's head was still hanging. "All right." She answered quietly.

"Promise?" Usopp tilted his head down to see her face, and she nodded just a little.

"Steph's always been a hard worker around here, and she takes good care of me." Samuels came up beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "We'll stay here and wait patiently for this young man to come back."

Suddenly, Steph's eyes lit up like she'd just had the greatest idea. "And maybe by that time I'll be old enough and we can get married!"

Usopp choked on his own saliva, and Samuels just laughed. "All right, maybe, but say good-bye now." He waved, and she followed his lead in it.

"Right! The next time I see you guys I'll have been all over the world and have even more awesome stories to share!"

"I hope so. And don't be afraid to take any chances." The old man winked and Usopp cringed, wanting to punch him for that.

"C'mon, Nami and the others are waiting for us." Sanji called from a few steps off the porch.

"Oh, right." Usopp shouted back one last good-bye, and then turned to go after him, waving back at the girl and her adopted father as they disappeared out of the torch light's range.

o-o-o-o 20 minutes earlier o-o-o-o

Sanji had just reached the top of the hill with the little log cabin of a home in sight by the time the sun had fully set. He didn't see Usopp or anyone also about, so he assumed they were inside, hopefully not sleeping yet.

This idea was confirmed when he heard Usopp's obnoxious laughter through the thin walls when he was still yards away. He paused with slight disbelief, thinking that if there had been neighbors to this place they'd definitely be complaining. He rolled his eyes, and continued up to the door.

"…Nami and Robin…" He heard the two most beautiful names in the world exit Usopp's mouth, and paused there. "They're great but it's annoying, they're always getting special treatment because Sanji is a pervert."

Sanji's eyes narrowed. How dare the long-nose talk shit about him? Anyway, Nami and Robin got special treatment because they were ladies and they _deserved _it. An uncultured ass like Usopp would never get that…

"But he's really strong, like almost on par with Zoro!"

_Almost?_ Sanji scoffed.

"He's a really great cook though! I wouldn't be surprised if he was the best by now." Well, at least the long-nose could boast about having decent taste buds if nothing else.

As the conversation continued, Sanji's hand fell away from the door. Whoever Usopp was talking to, he seemed pretty deep in the conversation. Talking to Usopp was never incredibly exciting for anyone, but regardless, this would be the last conversation he got to have with the residents. More likely, the last enormous lie he'd get to feed anyone before returning to those who knew he was just plain old Usopp. Might as well let him finish it.

There was an old-looking wooden rocking chair on the porch near the door. No one would know if Sanji just had a seat and waited for a good interrupting point. After all, he could hear every word, and he couldn't see himself just knocking in the middle of it… especially now that it seemed like depressing story-time had begun.

He was only half-listening as time passed, immersed in his own thoughts of Nami being beautiful and precious until he started hearing his name dropped repeatedly.

"I already know how things would turn out of I ever told Sanji what I've been feeling all this time…" Sanji's ears perked up at that, and he turned his head half-way, wondering what the hell Usopp was on about. He snickered during the clause, because it sounded like…

"He loves women more than anything, maybe even more than cooking. I'm probably just lucky being able to be his friend, so…"

Sanji's throat went dry.

"I can never tell…"

o-o-o-o Present o-o-o-o

The hill that lead up to the farmhouse was more like a steep drop-off of a cliff with some likeness of slope and foothold in just one spot. Whatever made anyone want to start a whole farm, complete with acres of corn and fenced livestock, on top of what was basically a mountain was beyond either of them.

Usopp huffed and scoffed with every step that nearly ended in a slip. About halfway to the bottom, he scoffed, breaking the silence. "Couldn't this have waited until morning?"

It took a little while for Sanji to reply. "The rest of the crew has been eager to get off this island." Sanji shrugged. "The people in town seem to live like hermits to outsiders and there's not really anything to do."

Usopp huffed. "The one time we find a place we can stay in without running for our lives and fighting thousands of marines, no one wants to stay."

Sanji grinned over his shoulder. "You know Luffy, everything has to be an adventure."

Usopp rolled his eyes, but understood. Still, he would have liked at least more time to say good-bye. It pained him to break a young maiden's heart, but he always had to return to his rightful place on the ocean…

"The hell are you smiling about?" Sanji broke Usopp's reminiscing causing him to nearly slip and fall.

Sanji regarded the slight embarrassment that came over him after, then turned back to watch his own footing. "So, I heard you have a wedding planned."

"Shut up!" Usopp barked, and Sanji laughed loudly.

"What's the matter, I'm sure she'll grow up to be a fine lady." He sounded half serious but was definitely still teasing, and Usopp just gave him his least amused frown. Sanji was still grinning after he went back to watching his feet, but it slowly disappeared.

It was bothering the hell out of him, the conversation Usopp and the old man were having before he showed up. He didn't catch the entire thing, but the bits and pieces he did suggested something… well, it was absurd.

_Still…_ he looked at Usopp from the corner of his eye.

What else could it have been? What could Usopp not tell him… he specifically remembered the words 'how I feel.' Something about being 'just friends.' It sounded a damn awful lot like a crush, but Sanji kept telling himself not to jump to conclusions.

Of the other male members of the crew, Sanji had noticed that Usopp may have been the most likely to appreciate the form of a woman, at least to a typical degree. Unlike Zoro, Luffy, (and for more explainable reasons, Chopper) who seemed to not even notice the difference between a man's body or a woman's. Sanji would have never thought that Usopp would be… well, _that_ way. Zoro, he wouldn't have been surprised. But Usopp? He was having a hard time believing it.

He just wanted to _know_ though, but it wasn't something he could ask. It wasn't so much about Usopp being gay or straight… but Usopp with _feelings_ for Sanji?

Sanji huffed in disbelief at the thought.

But if it was true, he understood why Usopp had never said anything and probably never would. Sanji knew himself well enough to know that it would make things awkward on both ends. It wasn't like his unrequited love for Nami or Robin, Sanji could take their rejection a hundred times over and not feel anything but pure admiration for them. They knew that, too, so they didn't need to feel awkward either. He knew Nami at least would give in someday, anyway.

Still, if Usopp liked him like that, and Sanji knew, and Usopp knew that he knew but could never return the feeling… it would just ruin everything.

If it was true, Sanji decided, he wouldn't let Usopp know that he knew. He'd respect Usopp's decision to never tell, and things could go on like normal.

He gave himself a sharp nod as he walked.

Usopp just happened to glance in Sanji's direction just as he strangely nodded as if encouraging himself in some way. He squinted a little, wondering what was going on in the cook's head.

…But Sanji still wanted to know for sure. How could he find out? He hunched his shoulders thoughtfully, and sighed.

"Something wrong with you?" Usopp asked.

Sanji straighten up and almost stuttered. "No."

Usopp snorted with much disbelief, but didn't press. He looked ahead again, and smiled, pointing. "Hey, we're almost to the bot-…"

Before he could finish the last word, the dirt underneath his boot gave out and he started to slide down. "Sh-sh-shit! Help me!" He shouted, and flipped himself over to reach up and grab Sanji's pantleg just before it was out of reach,

"Oi, let go!" Sanji shook his leg because he could feel himself being pulled down with the clumsy idiot already. But that backfired, because with it he lost his footing and before he knew it was tumbling down the hillside listening to Usopp's shouts of horror, cut off everytime his face hit the ground.

Usopp always had a very artistic (and musical) manner of falling…

Then again, Sanji's this time around wasn't much smoother. He tried to use his hands and his feet and anything he could to catch hold of something, but the slope only got steeper as it went down and he was falling too fast.

"I'm- going- to- kick- your- oof- ass!"

"Wha!?" Usopp was just barely able to make out those words in between Sanji's back colliding with the ground as he rolled. As soon as he'd made up his mind to run for his life once he hit the bottom, his face was sliding through loose dirt and dead leaves with his nose sticking into the ground until it pulled him to a stop.

Sanji, not posessing a natural built in break system, kept going full speed and his chest collided hard with Usopp's butt which was conveniently sticking up in the air, sending him forward for another tumble before they both hit a painful halt at level ground.

Sanji groaned, spitting immediately after he lifted his head to get the dirt off his tongue. "That was definitely not part of my day plan." He kept spitting, and added a little gagging.

At least he'd landed in a soft spot… or, wait, the soft spot moved.

He lifted his head, turned it just a little, and as the darkness adjusted, he found himself with his nose almost touching the tip of Usopp's.

"Uh. Sanji." Usopp shifted, and put a hand on his shoulder to try and push him off. "You're holding me down." For just a moment, Sanji analyzed the situation. He wasn't just on top of Usopp, he was _right_ on top, right between his legs, though just lopsided enough that the contact wasn't _that _intimate.

"Oh. Sorry." He said, but he didn't move at first. He waited, because there was that hand, and it acted like it was trying to push him off but it wasn't _really_ pushing. The thought entered his mind, how his elbows were bent and settled at Usopp's shoulders, how there noses were almost touching… think of it that way and this position was a little romantic. Maybe Usopp didn't really _want _him to get off...?

He didn't muse on that for long before it gave him a chill and he shoved himself up and onto his feet.

Usopp stayed on the ground, trying not to breath any heavier, wondering what the hell that had been about.

_Damn it._ Sanji lit up a new cigarette as he'd lost his old somewhere on the slope. He couldn't tell, couldn't decipher it, and the thought was getting on his nerves. Maybe he was just that type of guy, the type that just wanted to _know. _Even if he knew he'd feel weird about it if he found out it were true, even more so if Usopp knew that he knew. He just wanted to get it out of the damn way, find the answer on his own so he could come up with the solution on his own.

"Hey, Usopp-," The words slipped before he used his brain.

Usopp was on his feet, dusting off his knees and pantlegs with his hands. "Hm?"

"Nevermind." Sanji said quickly. "Come on, they said they'd anchor at the east shore." Sanji waved him along as he turned to head east, and Usopp followed.

o-o-o-o-o

Chopper was the first to spot them as they came upon the shore of large rocks that framed the island.

"They're here!" He shouted. "Sanji! Usopp!" He was waving his arms around as if they'd have trouble seeing the ship if he didn't.

"Oi Chopper!" Usopp grinned, and Sanji could see his big wall of pearly whites contrasting the darkness.

"Hurry up you idiots, at this rate we won't even get to haul anchor before we're all asleep!" Nami appeared next to Chopper and shouted.

"Of course, Nami-swan!" Sanji twirled and swooned. Usopp was half-way through rolling his eyes when an arm slipped around his waist, dug into his side, and suddenly his feet were no longer on the ground. He could see the ground and it was… bouncing?

"THE HELL?" He flailed when he realized what was going on. Sanji was holding him underneath his arm like a _book_ or something and hopping across the huge rocks toward the ship. Not only were their crevices between the rocks that falling into meant having a hell of a time getting out of, but if he slipped either one of them could have cracked their head open!

"Are you inSANE put me DOWN!" Usopp pounded at Sanji's shin, which was the only thing in reach, but the cook seemed unaffected.

Before Usopp knew it, he'd been tossed. _Tossed_ like a sack of potatoes up to the Sunny until he landed with a hard smack against the lawn of the deck.

"I'm dead." He diagnosed, and fell flat against the ground.

Sanji climbed over the railing a moment later. "Hey Nami, why are we in such a hurry to leave anyway?"

"Come _on_ Sanji this is an adventure we've wasted enough time on this stupid island already!" For once, the captain actually seemed to have some input for the conversation of setting sail.

"That," Nami gestured to Luffy with her thumb. "And I'm all for moving when things seem calm. Not that calm is ever for certain in this god-forsaken place."

"Still dead." Usopp mumbled into the ground.

"Chopper, Usopp died." Zoro, who'd been sitting against the railing next to the stairs trying to sleep when all the noise started, jerked a thumb in his direction.

"Ah." Chopper turned to look at his limp defeated body. "Oh well. Can't cure the deceased."

"We'll miss him." Luffy added.

"WHAT!?" Usopp's face exploded out of the ground and he growled.

"All right, everyone off your asses. Zoro, pull up the anchor, Sanji take the helm, Chopper, Luffy, unfurl the sails, Franky, Usopp…" Nami went on barking orders until everyone had a job, and within minutes, they were on their way again.

o-o-o-o

The day that followed was calm, sunny, cloudless. Just enough wind so that would could here the waves crash against the side of the boat, but not so much that it rocked. The crew had just finished lunch, and were scattered about the ship, all seemingly minding their own business. Even Luffy remained peaceful, apparently watching Franky put together some new test run version of the next big thing.

Usopp was sitting on the swing on the main deck, slowly drifting back and forth, a notebook in his lap as he moved his pencil across the paper. He probably didn't know that Sanji just happened to walk by on the upper deck and spot him, and he probably didn't know he was being watched from above. Not that it mattered, Sanji couldn't make out whatever he was drawing anyway.

Usopp didn't draw that often, at least not that Sanji saw, but he was good at it. He vaguely remembered hearing that Usopp had been the one to paint the Jolly Roger on Merry's sail and on their flag. There were also those idiotic snow and cloud sculptures he'd made. Which were, yes, idiotic, but also very well proportioned compared to Luffy's three-ball snowmen. Usopp had a tendency to show off even skills he didn't actually possess, but Sanji rarely saw him show around that sketchbook of his, which must've had quite a collection in it.

He watched for just a few more moments, before he continued toward the kitchen. He'd been contemplating making the ladies a snack for a while now.

"Hey, Usopp." Sanji's voice from behind him made Usopp jump and a heavy dark line stretched across the paper where it wasn't supposed to be. "Here's yours."

In on his one upturned hand he held a tray with seven (two had probably already been handed out) prettily decorated glasses filled with what could have been ice cream or pudding, and lined with various fruit. Sticking up out of each one was a miniature white spoon, and Usopp had remembered asking why he needed them upon purchasing them. Sanji had replied by trying to convince him that ladies loved small things, that Nami and Robin would think they were cute.

He also remembered the foot to the face when he said "Don't rely on that way of thinking for all your cases." The implication apparently hadn't been lost on him.

"Ah! Thanks!" Usopp smiled, ear-to-ear, and took the cup closest to him. He took a bite right away and tossed the mixture of fruit and putting around inside his mouth with his tongue, releasing pleased little grunts. "This is good!"

"Of course it is." Sanji snorted. "What are you drawing, by the way?"

"Huh?" Usopp looked down at the page. "Oh, I was trying to remember the old man's farm from the last island. You probably didn't get a good look at it but it was really peaceful looking in the daytime. I guess I just felt like drawing it."

"I'm not sure I needed to see it." Sanji shrugged, looking over the art. "That drawing already makes me feel at peace."

"Oh, thanks." Usopp scratched his head, going over the imperfections that Sanji was probably noticing and just not mentioning, Not including the huge line he'd scrawled across the page when Sanji had startled him.

"Can I see some others?" Sanji tried.

Usopp tensed visibly. "Uh- ah, maybe some other time." He scratched his head. "There aren't that many and most are just rough-,"

He squeaked when the notebook was snatched out of his possession, but shot up out of his seat and snatched it back before Sanji could so much as turn a page. "Don't touch this." Usopp barked. "It's like a journal you can't just look at it!"

Sanji, blinked, a little surprised, but backed off. "Right, sorry." He said. "You're really good though, you should think about showing off a little more."

Usopp forced a laugh. "I guess." And took another bite of his newly obtained dessert to busy himself.

Sanji studied him with confusion for just a moment, before taking the rest of his tray to distribute it to the others.

_A journal_. Sanji couldn't help thinking. A journal, a place where you keep secrets, things you'd never otherwise tell or let on. It was almost dirty, after all, it was like reading a girl's diary and Sanji would never dare to betray a lady's trust like that. But Usopp wasn't a lady, and really, they were drawings, not words. It wasn't like Sanji was a master at interpreting art, he probably wouldn't find anything anyway. Usopp was probably just shy to criticism.

Still…

What other options did he have to find an answer?

o-o-o

The next island appeared more populated than the last. There was what looked like a large town visible from a few hundred meters off shore, and plenty of other ships docked around it. There probably wouldn't be any grand adventures here but at least they'd be able to get a better day's worth of shopping and gathering supplies in.

Sanji was glad he'd stocked up on the small selection of food the last island had. It wasn't everything he typically dreamed of having at his disposal, but it was more than enough to feed the crew. Most importantly, it gave him an excuse to stay back and watch the ship. Which really meant getting into Usopp's personal belongings.

Unlike a diary, Usopp didn't exactly keep the sketchbook well hidden. He probably just assumed no one would bother to look at it, and just left it laying on top of his clothes in a drawer. Not a difficult find at all, which lead Sanji to be more comfortable about this invasion of privacy. It couldn't have been a big deal…

He sat down on the nearest hammock with the book in his lap, hesitating for a few moments. Assuming opening this book would answer his question, finally give him some closure… did he really want to know? Did he really want to go alone having to hide that he knew? Telling Usopp would only make it more awkward so like hell was he going to say anything.

But… fuck, at this point he didn't matter. Just the suspicion was eating him alive and he just needed to _know_.

On the first page, there were birds. Just various birds that he didn't recognize, probably things only Usopp bothered to pay attention to so he could draw them. They were flawless, almost like a black and white photograph, but scattered sloppily about the page like he meant them as nothing more than random sketches.

The second page was a ship- not a pirate ship, there was no jolly roger, but a huge and beautiful ship, probably one they'd passed by or seen at a port. Sanji got chills when he turned the page and spotted a huge hairy spider drawn smack in the middle of it. He quickly turned to the next page, which was covered in little objects and such like a bottle, a pencil, some strawberries, a paper bag. He kept turning pages, surprised at how many of them were filled. He doubted at this point that this was the only notebook Usopp had drawn in.

He was moving through them quickly, his mind having become a little absorbed and excited just to see what was on the next page. Then, with one flip of a page at one point in time, he just stopped, and stared.

He was smiling. He didn't think his face had the ability to wear such a sincerely happy expression, but here it was. Ear to ear with his teeth apart and his cigarette between his fingers like he'd just removed it, probably to laugh at some idiotic thing that Luffy or Franky was doing.

It was like seeing a photo of you and wondering when it was taken, and why you didn't notice the camera. He didn't have the slightest idea, because all that was there was his face and hand. It was big, though, took up the entire page and something about the way it was shaded and the care in the pressure and direction of the strokes blew the rest of them away.

Suddenly recalling his original reason for opening this book, he turned the page again. On it, there was a cat. On the next, a sketch of one of the towns they'd been to on some island whose name he couldn't remember. On the next, more little sketches of various things, then nature, then the Thousand Sunny, and then-

The next page was blank, and so were all of the ones that followed.

He sighed, and closed the book thoughtfully, and carefully in his lap. So, Usopp had drawn him. Only him as far as people went, but that didn't really mean _that_ much. Still it was a sign, and the words he'd overheard the other night were all but clear anyway.

Even if he could be sure Usopp had those kinds of feelings for him, how would he know how serious to take it or how deep they went? Why, and since when?

Even if it was just a drawing, something about it had made this whole thing seem a lot more real, and Sanji found himself actually lost as to what he was going to do when Usopp got back. _Act natural, nothing is different_… but something was. _Act like nothing is._

Easier said than done.

He put the notebook away, and decided to get started on an early dinner, as the others probably would have been looking forward to that when they got back.

o-o-o-o

Usopp didn't know how he got suckered into carrying _everything_. Okay, he was with Nami, and that was understood, but Luffy was there also and his hands remained as empty as Nami's and…

…Oh right, he's Luffy. It didn't hit him until they were back on the ship, and he was about ready to pass out from pack mule duty. Isn't this stuff supposed to be Sanji's job? Why did he have to stay back at the ship and moreover _how_ did _Usopp_ end up accepting even one bag of hers onto his arm? She was a conniving demon, that's how.

Actually, looking at them as his legs quivered underneath their weight, he was pretty sure one of these was Luffy's.

"Usopp, you can take those to my room."

The words went in one ear and out the other, because right now, Usopp _smelled_ something delicious! He breathed in deeply, and his body stiffened, his arms straightening at his sides so the bags collected in piles of clothes and random female necessities on either side of him.

He didn't notice the dark aura of certain death next to him before he took off for the kitchen. Glancing over his shoulder he found Luffy distracted by Zoro and Chopper having just arrived back as well. He chuckled victoriously as he ascended the stairs toward the galley. Having a nose this big really did pay off sometimes!

He slammed the door open, almost violently and took in a big obnoxious whiff.

"Just wait, Luffy, it's not done yet." Sanji said, like he'd been reciting that line all day just out of necessity.

"Boo." Usopp snickered at the case of mistaken identity as he walked in. "I was hoping to get first dibs."

Sanji was surprised at the voice, but mostly surprised that Luffy still hadn't come crashing through the door yet. "As if, it's always ladies first." He replied, matter-of-factly. "But I'll let you stay and wait if you can sit quietly, unlike someone we know."

Usopp grinned widely and laughed through his teeth, maybe a little caught up in the moment with the aroma and the being alone with Sanji in the kitchen. He wouldn't say that if he knew how much Usopp liked watching him cook. Everyone in the crew seemed to have this _zone_, and when they did a certain thing, they were in that zone, and naturally, for Sanji, it was cooking.

He moved so assertively, like he knew exactly what to do and when to do it without even thinking, but also swiftly, and somehow graciously as that was just his natural stride. He used both hands, sometimes to focus on one thing and sometimes to do two things at once, and he almost never hesitated. Sometimes Usopp saw him with a recipe sheet, but he liked it best when there wasn't one, when he was pulling every piece of information from his own mind and executing it like second nature.

Sanji's back was facing the table, and Usopp partly wished it wasn't so he could see the look on his face. But if he could it might be overwhelming, the urge to just go and wrap his arms around-

"SANJI!" Luffy burst into the kitchen, knocking some of the chairs about and nearly crushing Usopp's leg between two of them. "You're making dinner!" He'd long since begun to drool. "It smells so gooood." His chin on the counter just behind where Sanji was working, his rubber legs seemed to turn to fire hoses underneath him and crumbled into coils.

"It's the cashew flavored curry sauce. A personal favorite, but not something I get to make often because cashews are so hard to come by." Sanji assumed that Luffy had no clue and probably didn't care about all of the technicalities. He was pretty much talking to himself.

"Cashews, really? I don't think I've ever had any!" Usopp stuck himself next to Luffy at the counter. If Luffy hadn't been kicked in the face yet, it was probably safe. They both took heavy whiff of the amazing smell, slowly let it out in perfect sync, and then proceeded to melt into mush.

Sanji grinned secretly with his back turned, and noted the multiple pairs of familiar footsteps.

"Nami-swan!" He whipped around, spoon in hand. "Robin-chwan! Sit down, I have a special treat for you today…!" There were hearts in his eyes until he noticed Nami stamping across the kitchen toward Luffy and Usopp.

"Nami…swan?" She reached around in front of the pair and grabbed Usopp at the base of his nose, pulling him around to look him in the eye.

Usopp was confused. She was obviously fuming with some sort of rage but it was taking a little thought for him to recall what she could've been mad about. He blinked as she stared him down, shaking with anger and the urge to kill.

"My brand new clothes are... downstairs… in the dirt…" She tried to explain calmly. "Please tell me, whose fault is that?"

Usopp paled. "Oh." He swallowed. "Sorry."

Using every ounce of her strength Nami hurled him toward the kitchen door where Zoro calmly stepped aside to dodge the hurdling object and let it smack against the door frame.

"Go pick them up! And if I find any grass stains on a single one I am going to murder you!" She held up a shaking fist at his defeated form.

"Well, maybe if you just carried them yourself-!"

"YOU HELP TOO!" Nami barked at Chopper and jerked her finger at the door. Chopper immediately felt the deathly chills and quickly got out of his seat to do as he was told.

"That's why I told you I could carry them all! I wouldn't have-,"

"Shut it." Nami cut Luffy off at his delusion, and sat down at the table. "Smells good, Sanji-kun." She finally acknowledged him with her fingers tapping impatiently on the table, but with the whole room having been silenced by her wrath, all he could get out was a small "Ah, thank you, Nami-san."

Robin was trying not to laugh as she sat down between Franky and Brook, and Nami's tapping fingers turned into a fist at the sound of Zoro's yawn as he sat as well.

"Go sit down and wait, Luffy, it'll be a few minutes." Sanji said.

Luffy smushed his face against the counter in annoyance, but grudgingly obeyed.

o-o-o-o

"This is unfair." Chopper said seriously as he carefully collected the crumpled clothes that had fell out of some of the bags. "If she has to buy so much stuff, she should carry it herself, everyone else does!" He put some back into a bag and then dusted his hooves together like he was finished touching something filthy.

"It's because Sanji treats her like a princess already." Usopp rolled his eyes in annoyance, sitting in the grass a few feet away. "He's the one who always insisted he carry all of it and now she's gotten used to not having to." He huffed, glaring at nothing.

Chopper huffed. "Stupid Sanji." He agreed as he dropped another pile of refolded clothes into a bag.

_Stupid Sanji indeed._ Because if they could be together Usopp would carry all of his grocery bags and more, help out in the kitchen, get him things he needed, and never complain about any of it.

…Okay, maybe he understood Sanji's "stupidity" a little.

"And now we're stuck cleaning up her mess." Chopper complained some more, and then paused, giving careful attention to the word "we" in that sentence.

"Yeah." Usopp sighed in agreement as he picked a blade of grass and thoughtfully rolled it between his thumb and index finger.

"Why aren't you helping!?" Chopper whipped around and barked, throwing one of the empty bags at Usopp's head.

o-o-o

Sanji drug out the finishing processes, hoping that Chopper and Usopp would get back before it was time to dish everything out. He knew first hand that Nami had a tendency to buy a _lot_ when she had the money, and it could have taken the two of them a while to get it all back in order so she wouldn't beat them up later. By that time Luffy might've eaten it all, especially by the way he was drooling all over his place at the table.

Usopp had to admit, all though he knew he could never tell Sanji, never make a move, he was starting to see the appeal in telling someone else. Ever since farmer Samuels had found him out and he was able to get some of it off his chest… he'd been aching to spill the rest. Just have someone that knew, that understood, that wouldn't rat him out and would just _be_ there.

Chopper…? No, Chopper would never do anything to hurt him but he probably couldn't keep a secret. Luffy was the same, and he'd probably tell Usopp he was stupid for hiding it and try and take things into his own hands. Zoro probably wouldn't care, think it was no big deal and shrug it off with little to no advice. Robin was an option, but she could be conniving, might try and take it in to her _many _hands as well. Franky would probably think he was crazy because Sanji was a _guy_ after all and Brook… well, he'd considered it but it always ended in a conversation about Sanji's underwear…

…There was Nami, though. Nami could be a bitch, sure, but she knew when to get serious and maybe she was the type to take something like this seriously. Then again, maybe not, as her only love was money… but then again sometimes he could've sworn she had something going on with Luffy.

Such were his silent musings as he and Chopper made there way back to the galley, Chopper curiously looking up at him.


End file.
